A school for students with special educational needs was forced to shut after teachers feared for their safety.

Staff from Homewood College, a special school for 37 pupils in Moulsecoomb, Brighton, heard at a council meeting on Thursday that a consultation will begin about proposals to stop admissions to the school.

It was rated inadequate by Ofsted in 2021 and has been in special measures ever since. The city council says it has failed to improve so plans to move pupils to other schools are also being considered.

The Argus understands parents were told about the consultation on Thursday. It sparked fears among staff who said they would not be able to deal with 37 SEN pupils who had recently discovered they might have to move school.

Staff said they told the council they needed a risk assessment and additional support in order to open the school. However when teachers arrived at the school on Friday morning, they had not been given one.

“We felt that it was not safe to open the school. We were told there would be a risk assessment in place, but as there was not we took the decision to close,” said a spokeswoman for the school.

“The council has failed to understand the reaction from the pupils, their needs and the risks that come from their behaviour.

“We needed additional support and even invited them to come to the school to explain to the pupils but they didn’t.”

Parents were informed of the decision to temporarily close Homewood College at 8.40am yesterday via telephone. It meant that pupils who were already on their way to school were told to go home.

Staff said they spent Friday preparing a risk assessment so they can open on Monday.

Brighton and Hove City Council denies saying it would provide a risk assessment and said doing so was not its responsibility.

READ MORE: Future of Brighton school Homewood College thrown into doubt

“It is not the council’s job to do risk assessments in situations such as this,” said a council spokesman.

“We were advised that the school leadership team would produce a risk assessment and we said we would be happy to discuss its findings.

“We are working with the school leadership and the governors to ensure the school will be open again from Monday.”